


Negotiation 101

by holyfudgemonkeys (erraticallyinspired)



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Malcolm Bright/JT Tarmel, Established Relationship, F/M, Gil Arroyo Acting as Malcolm Bright's Parental Figure, Gil Arroyo is Malcolm Bright's Parent, Hostage Situations, M/M, Malcolm Bright & Tally Tarmel Friendship, Malcolm Bright's FBI Training, Mpreg, Polyamory, Pregnancy, baby's first brimel lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:46:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25562296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erraticallyinspired/pseuds/holyfudgemonkeys
Summary: It's just Malcolm's luck that he goes into labor in the middle of a robbery.
Relationships: JT Tarmel/Tally Tarmel, Malcolm Bright/JT Tarmel
Comments: 12
Kudos: 73
Collections: PSon Goblin Swap Summer 2020!





	Negotiation 101

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AShortWalkToDelinquency](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AShortWalkToDelinquency/gifts).



It’s funny how this always happens to him. Malcolm’s been extra careful not to get swept up in dangerous situations ever since he hit his third trimester. No following up on leads that require him to leave the relative safety of the precinct. No stakeouts. No examining the bodies until Edrisa can confirm there are no surprise landmines waiting for them. He knows it’s vital, and that’s why he follows every single guideline the team gives him. His daughter is the most important thing in his life.

It also helps that the knowledge that he’s safe has eased most of the new stress lines JT’s been developing since finding out he’d be a father twice over. Especially now, when he has a four month old with Tally. Malcolm’s about to pop himself, and while he and Tally are both excited for little Oliver to have a playmate, he knows that JT worries. 

Malcolm stifles a sigh. His partner is going to blow a gasket when he hears about this. He carefully closes the door to the bathroom and turns the lock, hoping the three men in black ski masks didn’t notice. They may or may not check the bathroom anyway. As far as he knows, there haven’t been any serial robberies in the neighborhood, so there’s no data to examine that isn’t out on the main floor holding a loaded gun. He leans against the wall and winces. 

The slight ache in his lower back is more intense than it was hours before. He doesn’t want to think about the likely cause.

Muffled somewhat by the door, a shot goes off. There’s screaming, too, though thankfully it sounds more terrified than pained. It’s possible there’s a dead body out there, but the glimpse he got of them didn’t lead him to think they intended to kill. They probably just want the jewelry from the displays and the money from the till. 

For not the first time since he heard the initial shouts, Malcolm curses himself for insisting on getting his daughter’s keepsake necklace today instead of waiting until after delivery. He just wanted her to have a link to her Milton heritage right from the beginning. Maybe it’s not strictly in fashion anymore, but he knows Ainsley treasures hers all the same. He takes the small box out of the bag and carefully stows it in his jacket pocket. If the two of them survive this, he’ll add another two pearls to it every year on her birthday.

His back throbs again. Malcolm has to grab the sink to keep himself steady. His daughter shifts, and he pats his bump soothingly. He’s not sure who for. With a deep breath in, he unlocks the door. Breathing out, he eases it open. 

Two of the three men turn his way, but the third keeps his eyes on the door. Beyond it there are several cop cars lying in wait.

Malcolm holds his hands up. They’re completely steady.

“Where’d you come from?” the first one shouts.

“The bathroom,” he says calmly. 

They all look down at his stomach for varying amounts of time, likely coming to the conclusion that his daughter was pushing on his bladder. They’re not wrong.

He shifts uncomfortably as another contraction hits. His only consolation is that his water hasn’t broken. 

Yet. 

“Sit on the floor,” the man who’s clearly the leader orders. His face is hard to read through the ski mask, but his body language is loud and clear. He’s on edge. Whatever he expected out of this robbery has grown out of his control. 

Malcolm nods. Slowly, hands still in the air, he makes his way over to the group of hostages and joins them on the floor with a groan. He finally allows himself to look around at them. None of them are dead or bleeding — just as he suspected. A quick glance up at the ceiling reveals a bullet hole, likely from a warning shot. That explains the screaming. There is, however, an elderly man lying on the floor with his head in a similarly aged woman’s lap. 

Malcolm is not a doctor. He wanted to be one once, a dream of his that crashed and burned back in ‘98. Most of his medical knowledge comes from the remnants of his father’s teachings and the basic first aid he learned during the course of his career. It’s not enough to tell for sure what’s wrong with the man. He does know that he doesn’t look good. Potentially a heart attack, he thinks grimly. 

Another contraction hits — sooner than any of the others before. They need to get out of here and fast. 

Although his specialty at the Bureau wasn’t in hostage situations, he does know the procedure. He’s even had to use it before in cases where their killer felt cornered. The first step is active listening. 

The leader is arguing with the employee behind the counter, the one who rang Malcolm’s order up ten minutes prior. 

“I can’t open the till,” the employee says frantically. “I already hit the alarm. I’m locked out.”

The leader sneers. “Well, how do you unlock it?”

“I’d need to call the main office —”

“Then call,” the man by the door snaps.

The employee flinches. “Even if I do, the system won’t let me back in for an hour.”

Malcolm bites the inside of his cheek. The police probably won’t be waiting an hour. They’ll likely find a way in before then, a plan to neutralize the three robbers, and the best method to limit casualties. 

Though if JT and the team realize he’s inside… He makes a decision.

 _Empathy_.

“If the police are already outside, you don’t have that much time,” he says calmly.

The leader turns to look at him, gun out. “What do you know?”

“I used to work with the FBI,” Malcolm admits. “Then I was fired.”

That, of course, only gets him more scrutiny. “And?”

_Rapport._

“There’s a high chance the main office has already been informed not to unlock the system.” It’s one of the first things Gil would check, and he knows that. Even if Gil hasn’t involved himself, hasn’t realized that Malcolm is inside, whatever officers are on the scene are probably smart enough to have done the same. He winces and bites down on a gasp as another contraction hits. Fuck, he never should have left the house this morning. He’s probably been in the early stages of labor for the bulk of the day. “I can tell you want to get what you came here for and get out.”

The leader stares at him silently.

“You never wanted to hurt anyone,” Malcolm continues. He glances over at the old man on the floor. “You didn’t mean to trigger a heart attack.”

“I’m here for money and jewelry,” the leader confirms, but his gun is still raised. 

_Influence._

Gritting his teeth against another contraction, Malcolm presses on. “The police are looking for a way inside right now. If you —” He can’t hold back the gasp as he feels a small gush of liquid. Thankfully, he’s sitting on the fringes of the hostage group. He wraps an arm around his bump and takes a deep breath. “If you let him die, your sentences will be much longer.”

The third robber snorts. “We’re not planning on getting caught.”

“We’re already caught, moron,” the leader snaps at him. “Caught in the NYPD’s trap.”

Malcolm hunches over as the next contraction takes his breath away. It looks like his daughter takes after him in her impatience, and he finds himself desperately praying she has at least a modicum of JT’s temperament, too. JT has been a slow and steady and loving presence in his life for over a year now, someone to bolster him against the choppy waves of his own existence. Tally’s friendship is another port in that storm. 

“What’s wrong with you?” the leader says, finally registering that something is seriously up. His gun wavers in the face of Malcolm’s pain.

_Behavioral change._

But Malcolm waves him off. “I’m in labor.” He takes a deep breath. “If you establish contact now — before that man dies — you stand the best chance of getting a reduced sentence.” Especially if his daughter is allowed to be born in a hospital the way they planned. While Malcolm himself may not have the best reputation at the precinct, he knows that both JT and Gil are well-respected amongst their peers. The NYPD wouldn’t hesitate to press for a higher sentence if she were harmed because of this.

The leader looks back at the employee, who swallows nervously.

“Company policy is not to give in to threats,” he whispers. 

With a frustrated snarl, the leader turns his attention to Malcolm once again. “How?” He keeps a hold on his gun, ready if the need arises, but it’s no longer pointed at anyone.

“Are you serious?” the third robber hisses.

“Shut up,” the one by the door says. 

Malcolm keeps his eyes on the leader. “I know the head of Major Crimes. I can get you in touch if you let me reach into my pocket for my phone.” 

“Do it.”

Slowly, he pulls it out of his pocket. Gil’s number is saved in his phone, of course, and it’s practically habit to scroll down to _G_. He hits dial with a steady thumb. 

“Bright,” Gil half shouts into his ear. “Where are you?”

“I’m inside,” Malcolm says, knowing full well from the panic in Gil’s words that he knows where Malcolm could be. “They want to talk to you about surrendering.”

There’s a slight pause, a small noise, and when he gets a response, it’s from JT rather than Gil. “Are you two okay?” 

It hurts to hear how frightened his voice is. His words are tinged with panic, terror for Malcolm and their daughter. This is exactly what Malcolm was trying to avoid these last months. JT can be the most collected of them all — if his family isn’t involved. Malcolm’s heart clenches. He considers not telling him the full truth, but he can’t. “I’m in labor,” he says, and for the first time, he’s the one getting to be the stabilizing force in this relationship. He’s terrified, too, deep down. His voice, however, is steady as ever. 

JT curses. Loudly. “I’m getting you out of there.”

“No, you’re not.” Malcolm hisses as another contraction hits — the first on the phone so far. 

“Malcolm —”

But this is not the time. The longer they drag this out, the higher the chance he’s going to actually give birth during a jewelry store robbery. “You’re going to give your daughter’s grandpa his phone back _now_ , and he’s going to help facilitate negotiations. Don’t jeopardize this because of us.” He winces at how that came out. It’s true, though, that JT jumping in would likely only risk the lives of all of the hostages, himself and their daughter included, and ruin the chances of ending this without bloodshed.

“We’re going to have to work on your self-esteem again,” JT says jokes quietly, voice solemn. 

“I love you, JT.” Malcolm really does. It took him so long to accept that after his childhood and all of his failed relationships in the past. He’s capable of real love, and he’s found it in the man on the other end of the line. “And I trust you to get us out — the safe way.”

It takes another half an hour to negotiate the terms of their surrender. Malcolm gets the feeling it was rushed on his account, and he’s okay with that. As the minutes tick by, as the contractions keep coming, his panic rises. He’s going to give birth in this jewelry store. Without medical help. It’s been done before, of course, but that doesn’t stop the flood of bad scenarios his mind conjures up at the thought.

As a result, he’s barely aware of officers coming in to cuff the three robbers. The rest of the hostages are quick to get to their feet and follow guiding officers out of the building, only leaving behind him and the elderly couple, who wait for the paramedics to come in. 

JT is quick on their heels, Dani and Gil behind him. He crouches down in front of Malcolm, face turning ashen at the sight of his wet slacks. “C’mon, we have to get you to the hospital before you burst.” 

Malcolm tries to get up but nearly falls down at another contraction. It’s only with the quick thinking and help of his partner and Gil that he manages to stand up. He leans against JT, all of his panic finally breaking through his resolve to get out. “I think I’ve been having contractions all morning.”

“I’ve got you,” JT promises, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and herding him towards the door even faster. “Tally’s meeting us there.”

There’s another set of paramedics there, too. They help Malcolm and JT up into the ambulance, and they’re off. 

Ten minutes later, Ava Jacqueline Bright-Tarmel is laid in her daddy’s arms, cradled in his suit jacket, her soft skin a few shades darker than his own. She squirms against him as her papa gives him an intense, relieved kiss. Although not patient enough to wait until the hospital to make her debut, she’s a remarkably calm baby — and already so very loved. 


End file.
